Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-26
A GENTLEMEN CLUB.
IT WILL supPLAKr THE RuSKINeAED
TRoTTIsG ASSOCIATION.
PREDATORY Arrangements Made and Com
mitiee Appointed to Solicit
Members, &c.

Anadiourned meeting OF the Virginia
Running- and Trotting- Horse Associa-
ton. or rather of those interested in the
REORGANIZATION of il, was held at the
Exchange Hotel last night. Eight
o'clock was the time for the meeting,
but the gentlemen were slow arriving.
and il was after o'clock before sutil
cient number TO proceed had collected.
At this time there were about fifteen
present, the majority of them owners
of priyate teams and fine horses.
WOULD NOT RE0RGAYIzE.
Mr.. w. S. Ayers called the meeting
10 order and stated its object. He said
that he had during the past few days
made close canvass of those gentle
men in the city who would be likely to
take an interest in the association II
formed that he had met with nothing
to encourage him, not having found
any one who would agree to supple
ment the subscription of 1925 gotten at
the meeting on Tuesday night last.
The purses at the meeting last spring
amounted to 81, $50, and he thought it
inexpedient TO attempt to revive the
Association unless subscriptionsamount-
ing to $500 could be obtained in ad-
vance. and he did not think this could
be realized.
Several other gentlemen expressed
themselves as agreeing with Mr.. Ayers,
and it was unanimously decided not to
attempt a Reorganization.
RIDING AND DRIVING CLUB.
Mr.. j. S. Hirsh suggested that il
lieu of this association they take the
preliminary steps TO organize riding
and driving club.
Several other gentlemen briefly but
heartily endorsed this proposition.
Mr.. Hirsh moved that committee OF
five be appointed to canvass the city
and solicit members of the club.
The motion was adopted after being
amended TO make its number twelve in
stead of five.
TEE COMMITTEE.
The Chair (Mr. Ayers, with the ad-
vice of the other gentlemen, appointed
the following committee: Messrs. II.
Clay Chamblin chairman, J. S. Hirsh,
Miles Cary. w. II. Mallory, Lewis f.
Hill, Ed. Hannewinckel, w. c. Adams,
Oscar Berry, c. p. Stokes, Barton II.
Grundy, ". S. Ayers, and Parker
Conrad.
Some of the gentlemen appointed on
this committee were not present.
IN addition to seeing their appoint
mcnt from this notice, each Of tho',
appointed will be notified by postal
from Mr.. Ayers. As soon as these gen
tlemen receive official information oi
their appointment, Mr. Chamblin viii
call q meeting, TO be held at his Off ce
or some other convenient place, end
they will thoroughly organize for the
work.
WHAT IS PROPOSED.
There was considerable amount OF
informal talk about the club, its OBJ
iects, how best to accomplish them,
&c. The idea is that this club shall be
composed Of gentlemen who own teams
and contribute to its support. 1t Is
proposed that a track shall be leased on
which they can ride or drive whenever
they please, and where, without annoy
ance or danger to any one, they can
speed their horses.
Mr.. Ayers expressed himself as de
cidodly in favor of having a lot, say oi
twenty-five acres, somewhere near the
western limits Of the city, which they
can fit up with nice half-mile track.
Other gentlemen thoughtit far better,
certainly for the present, to secure the
use of the Fair Grounds track, of which
Mr. Fletcher has control this year.
No vote was taken on the proposition,
but there was somewhat of tacit un-
der.taIding that the Fair Grounds track
will be used for the remainder OF this
year at any rate, as fitting up new
track would require both time and
money, and a considerable amount of
both.
THE FINANCES.
This committee on membership,
after dividing the city into districts,
will wait on every gentleman in the city
who has a team, and is likely t.
enter into the movement, with view
to getting their names on the roll OF
membership. The initiation fee is five
dollars, and the dues, as decided upon
last night, will be five dollars per an
mum. OF course the question of dues
can be adjusted to meet the exigencies
of the occasions as they may arise.
Mr.. Fletcher, who was present, was
asked if he would lease the club the
use of the Fair-G Grounds track, when
not otherwise engaged, for the re-
mainder of the present year, and if so,
upon what terms He replied that he
would be glad to etthem have the track
and upon liberal terms.
Mr.. Fletcher will meet this commit
tee. and between them the price will be
fixed.
The question of holding an annua.
meeting was referred to 10y several o.
the gentlemen present, and while no
definite action was taken it seemed 70
be the general desire that one shall b,
held every spring in future, and tn
coming one if possible. The races At
these meetings will only be open t.
horses owned 10y members of the club.
Good purses will be offered and no bet